FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No problem either way. A full, serial-numbered and warranted KWE must have been sourced by the company in the first place, but we are happy to re-engineer a customer’s car provided it meets our stringent requirements for safety, minimal corrosion and accident damage. And it also must have an unblemished interior. In the case of XJ saloons, it must be the Sovereign model to achieve KWE’s standard specification, but again we can work with lower-spec cars by agreement.

We buy cars that have been privately advertised, often by enthusiasts and car club members.

Only if you want to! Our primary aim is to supply ‘turnkey’ cars to our own very high specification so that we can keep costs and delivery times down. But we are happy to get involved fully with special requirements, and our KR model in particular specifically requires customer input.

We replace nearly 200 parts in the engine, suspension, steering and braking systems. Most are Jaguar original specification parts, but to improve handling and reliability we additionally replace some key components using modern, uprated materials.

It’s quite simple. From the moment the specification is agreed and the deposit is paid KWE will deliver a K6 or KS in around 12 weeks. A K12 will take a little longer due to its V12 engine – typically 16 weeks. Upgrade times depend on specification, but an S1 suspension will take about 3 weeks. In all cases, an optional bare metal respray will add at least 6 weeks to the delivery time.

Again, we try and make it as easy as possible. KWE requires an initial deposit of 30% paid on or before work commencement, or 50% in the case of a modest upgrade. Thereafter one intermediate payment just before final assembly, and a final payment immediately prior to delivery are required. Other terms can be offered for the largest projects. Most prices are fixed from the beginning so there won’t be too many nasty surprises! We can accept payment in all the normal ways including Internet Bank Transfers.

Obviously you can – but it will not be nearly as good! All XJS and Series 3 Jaguars will be over 15 years old and so the engine, brakes, steering and suspension will contain many components that are long beyond their safe and functional life. In presenting these cars as re-engineered, we fully expect them to last the owner’s lifetime. We provide a one year warranty with very few limitations and KWE will continue to support the car, and keep in touch with its owner, long after the sale is concluded. But most importantly, our cars are much improved over even an unblemished second hand car, and embody ride and handling characteristics well beyond the original. We leave nothing to chance, replacing all safety-related components automatically.

KWE have been careful to ensure that any Jaguar main dealer or Jaguar specialist garage can service a K6, K12 or KS, both in the UK and abroad. While KWE prefer to carry out servicing and repairs ourselves so that we can maintain peak performance standards, we recognise this won’t always be possible. All non-standard parts can quickly be obtained from KWE or the manufacturers.

At 14 – 30mpg the 4.2 litre K6 achieves about the same consumption as a modern V8 Range Rover, Mercedes S class and BMW X5 and other heavy road cars. At higher speeds the relatively low frontal area of a K6 allows much better consumption than most of today’s tall vehicles. This is especially true of the KS which can achieve over 18mpg at 100mph – even in V12 form!

No problem here either. Our cars cost about the same as mid range executive saloons, but apart from having one of the best engine and suspension setups ever, they are loaded with comforts, including climate control, which are usually cost-options on new cars in this category. Even better, the personal taxation cost related to emissions for new cars is going up year after year while the taxation cost for classic cars remains fixed to their market value. Lastly, depreciation on classic cars tends to be very low. If in doubt, talk to your Financial Director.

Not at all. We find our customers love the sense of control and safety. The KWE re-engineering process gives these cars even better steering response and better stability on the road, making the driver feel very much in control. The effect is to shrink the car around the driver. Visibility is excellent, steering is light and precise and the automatic gearbox is simple and straightforward. We think our K series cars are ideal for any busy professional who wants a car that never lets them down and outshines the other cars in the car park!

Absolutely not! These cars are brought up to a condition where they could and should be used for normal everyday travel and commuting. They are so wonderful to be in and to drive that you should use them all the time! What would you rather be sat in when stuck in today’s frequent jams? KWE Jaguars have very long-lived engines.

Sometimes but not always. KWE has a rigorous selection procedure that eliminates significant rust in its base models. After the strip down, all cars are further inspected for structural or cosmetic rust which is then treated or repaired. One of the last processes is to inject all cavities with a rust proofing agent. KWE recommends having this inspection and proofing process repeated every second year. This regime eliminates any further rusting. Furthermore if the customer specifies a bare metal respray it is then possible to inspect any previous repairs and rectify them if necessary.

Definitely not in the case of KWE cars. And here’s why:

  • Firstly Jaguars, being large and strongly built, have an excellent safety record
  • Secondly KWE inspect as far as is possible for any structural flaws.
  • Thirdly we automatically replace all safety related components in the steering and braking systems.
  • Fourthly, we test drive the vehicles after final assembly for substantial periods partly to run in the engine but mostly to stress the new components to eradicate any latent faults.
  • Finally, the cars all have fresh MOT Test Certification.

Yes. KWE only offers cars with good condition interiors with very few marks, if any, to leather and woodwork. However you can specify the High Specification (HS) variant of each model which includes a bare metal respray and fully renewed interior – seats, dash, door cards, all veneers, headlining and carpets. Or you can simply add just some of these renovations to the standard model.

Classic cars tend to attract lower premiums than modern cars and there are many brokers offering specialised policies. Limited mileage policies are particularly good value, and we can recommend several specialist insurers.

KWE intends to be in the business of re-engineering motor cars for the foreseeable future. The founders recognise that for our business to prosper we must offer after-sales service and engineering support for the life of the vehicle – and this is what we do.

All our cars are set up for 95 unleaded petrol, though rather better performance can be obtained with 98 super-unleaded fuel. KWE recommends Shell V-Power or BP Ultimate. KWE cars are particularly suited to conversion to LPG due to their large capacity boots in which substantial gas tanks can be fitted without sacrificing too much luggage space. Fuel consumption on LPG is similar to petrol so saving roughly half the amount.

Need more Information?

Please contact us for pricing & availability of our Jaguar, Daimler and Aston Martin DB7 expert services.
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